Empty flue first
Best chimney caps
The best chimney cap for pests is an animal guard that matches the flue size and the fuel you burn, installed after you know nothing is denning inside. Raccoon and birds treat an open chimney as a hollow tree. A cap is exclusion. A live trap in the firebox with young above it is a different job, often a licensed one. Do not cap a maternity den shut.
As an Amazon Associate, Pest Kill earns from qualifying purchases. Picks are editorial matches to a control sequence, not paid rankings or lab scores. Any pesticide must be used only as its EPA label allows. Advertising disclosure.
Best animal guard: Animal-guard chimney cap. Match the outside dimensions of the flue tile or the metal chimney. A cap that does not seat will rattle off or leave a gap a raccoon can still use. If you burn wood, buy a cap rated for that heat and spark screen.
Compare the picks
| Role | Tool | Best for | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best animal guard | Animal-guard chimney cap | An open flue | Hardware |
| Best for the other holes | 1/4-inch galvanized hardware cloth | Attic vents beside the chimney | Hardware |
| Best before you order the cap | Headlamp or flashlight for inspections | Looking up the flue | Hardware |
Which one to buy
Hardware
Animal-guard chimney cap
Best animal guard — Match the outside dimensions of the flue tile or the metal chimney. A cap that does not seat will rattle off or leave a gap a raccoon can still use. If you burn wood, buy a cap rated for that heat and spark screen.
Hardware
1/4-inch galvanized hardware cloth
Best for the other holes — Raccoons often have a second entrance at a soffit. Capping the flue and leaving the fascia open moves the den six feet.
Hardware
Headlamp or flashlight for inspections
Best before you order the cap — Eyes, nesting material, or a hiss means you are not ready to cap. Get the animal out legally first.
Do not learn this on a wet roof
Chimney work is a fall risk. If you are not equipped to be on that roof, the cap is still the right product and a chimney technician is the right installer. Confirm the cap will not interfere with a gas flue that the appliance manual has to vent a certain way. Animal guard and draft are both real constraints. A homemade screen wired over a masonry flue is how people buy a callback.
Common questions
What is the best chimney cap for raccoons?
A listed animal-guard cap that fits that flue, installed when the chimney is empty. Hardware store screen balled into the opening is not a cap.
Can I cap the chimney with babies inside?
No. You will seal them in. Wait until they can leave, or hire a wildlife operator who can exclude them legally.
Will a cap stop birds and squirrels too?
It stops animals that were using that flue. Squirrels more often use fascia and attic vents. Close those with hardware cloth as a separate hole.